Application of cloud vertical structure from CloudSat to investigate...

Young, A. H., J. J. Bates, and J. A. Curry (2013), Application of cloud vertical structure from CloudSat to investigate MODIS-derived cloud properties of cirriform, anvil, and deep convective clouds, J. Geophys. Res., 118, 4689-4699, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50306.
Abstract: 

CloudSat cloud vertical structure is combined with the CALIPSO Lidar and Collection-5 Level 2 cloud data from Aqua’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to investigate the mean properties of high/cirriform, anvil, and deep convective (DC) clouds. Cloud properties are sampled over 30 S–30 N for 1 year and compared to existing results of Collection-4 Aqua MODIS high-level cloud observations where cloud types were categorized using the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) cloud classification scheme. Results show high/cirriform sampled in this study have high biases in cloud top pressure and temperature due to CloudSat’s sensitivity to thin high clouds. Mean cloud properties of DC show reasonable agreement with existing DC results notwithstanding mean cloud optical thickness which is ~23% higher due to the exclusion of thick cirrus and anvil clouds. Anvil cloud properties are a mix between high/cirriform and DC according to ISCCP cloud optical thickness thresholds whereby ~80% are associated with high/cirriform and the other 20% are associated with DC. The variability of cloud effective particle radii was also evaluated using DC with ≥5 dBZ echoes at and above 10 km. No evidence of larger cloud effective particle radii are given despite considering higher reaching echoes. Using ISCCP cloud optical thickness thresholds, ~25% of DC would be classified as cirrostratus clouds. These results provide a basis to evaluate the uncertainty of the ISCCP cloud classification scheme and MODIS-derived cloud properties using active satellite observations.

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Mission: 
CloudSat